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Thats it though lads. Its finally over.

In honour of Rafa, some facts about our collapse this season and Jim Duffy's contribution to it. On February 25th, after a run of six wins and one draw in seven games (four wins out of five in the league), we had played 25 games. We were one point ahead of Dundee United, although they had two games in hand. Six points clear of Dunfermline and Queen of the South having played the same number of games. Eleven points clear of Inverness Caledonian Thistle with them having one game in hand. These are facts. Over the course of ten games since we've seen a five point swing to Queen of the South, a nine point swing to Dundee United, a twelve point swing to Dunfermline and a fifteen point swing to ICT. These are facts. In the entirely likely event that Queen of the South beat Brechin & ICT beat Morton today both sides will finish above Morton, who will finish the season in seventh place. All of those sides who were trailing in our wake merely two months ago will finish above us, one of them with an eighteen point swing over that period. How did we find ourselves in this position? We can go back to the beginning of that run of six wins in seven, a 2-1 win at Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup. On that day the team set up in a 4-4-1-1 formation as follows: Gaston Doyle - O'Ware - Gasparotto - Iredale Tidser - Murdoch - Harkins - Ross Tiffoney Oliver We had the same starting XI and system for the next three games, 3-0 v Dundee Utd & 2-1 v Dunfermline in the league and 3-0 v Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup. We had found a system and starting eleven that was working. These are facts. We then kept the same shape but made two changes to the starting eleven for the 1-1 draw with Queen of the South, Russell in for Tidser and McHugh in for Tiffoney. 1-0 v Dumbarton again saw two changes, Tidser for Harkins and Lamie for Gasparotto, but the shape remained unchanged. The 2-0 win at Inverness, the seventh of those games, saw the return of the XI which started the run at Dunfermline with the exception of Lamie being in place of Gasparotto at centre back. We had won six out of seven games, we had created a decent gap between ourselves and fifth place, and this winning run had taken us five points from second placed Livingston with three games remaining against them. In doing so we'd used the same system for all of those games and only had minor changes in personnel throughout that time. These are facts. The logical thing to do then, if you're Jim Duffy, is to completely abandon that system and shoehorn players who had nothing to do with it into the team. The run came to an end with a 1-0 midweek defeat at home to Livingston. We could speculate about Duffy's reasons for changing the team with a weekend cup tie approaching against Celtic which could earn him plaudits from his mates on Radio Clyde if plucky little Morton could put up a plucky little performance, but I'm not interested in speculation, I'm focusing on facts. So for this massive game which could put us in two points of second place, three players who had been ever present in the winning run were dropped. Jack Iredale was replaced by youngster Lewis Strapp, making his first Morton appearance since August after being on loan at Elgin, Frank Ross was replaced on the left of midfield by natural left back Mark Russell, and Gary Oliver was replaced by new signing John Baird. Scott Tiffoney also dropped out for Bob McHugh as we played a flat 4-4-2. These are facts. To the surprise of no one, we were absolutely shite, Baird and McHugh as a partnership didn't work and we lost all the intelligent movement and pressing of Oliver & Tiffoney, while we had no attacking width in the absence of the Iredale-Ross partnership on the left. We obviously lost to Celtic despite the players being rested for our biggest game of the season at that point, as everyone knew we would. Our next game was away to Falkirk, where you'd think we'd move beyond resting players for inevitable defeats in the cup and get the best team back on the pitch. No! Still no Iredale, still no Ross, still no Oliver. Still the McHugh & Baird partnership up front. 3-0 down after 30 minutes, we finally pulled one back in stoppage time. We made no substitutions in this game, with Duffy saying that he didn't change it because he "didn't want to give the players who'd put us in that position an easy way out". Clearly Jim doesn't understand the purpose of substitutions. These are facts. Away to Livingston. The return of the 4-4-1-1 with Iredale, Ross, Oliver and Tiffoney all playing. Finally. For the first time, in our fourth meeting, we actually compete with Livingston rather than them comfortably being the better team. They go down to 10 men, we go 1-0 up in the 88th minute. The return of the 4-4-1-1 with all of our best players in it is just about delivering. Then in stoppage time, while 1-0 up, Jim Duffy takes off central midfielder Andy Murdoch and replaces him with centre forward John Baird. Livingston score in the 94th minute after a picking up a loose ball in central midfield, obviously. The 4-4-1-1 continues v Dunfermline as we hold on for a 0-0, this time without a centre forward replacing a central midfielder as our opponents laid siege to our goal. John Baird then comes into the team for Frank Ross against Brechin and scores twice. Because he's scored against Brechin, he is now UNDROPPABLE. He must start games. So he does. Against Dundee United we don't just have John Baird in the team, we have the return of the fucking 4-3--3 formation which Duffy started the season with and eventually had to chuck, accepting it was just too shite. We are devoid of creativity throughout, but scramble a 1-1 draw with a stoppage time own goal from a corner to equalise. A corner put in by Frank Ross coming off the bench, no less. Every game that mattered after was 4-3-fucking-3. Another defeat to Livingston, scraping a win v Dumbarton, the defeat to Queen of the South that ended the season. The collapse is entirely, 100% down to Jim Duffy deviating from a winning team. Six wins in seven turned into two wins in eleven purely because he decided to tinker. These are facts. That's nothing to do with the board, nothing to do with the mentality of the players, it's just a manager who doesn't know what he's doing. His position is untenable. Fact.

Probably best Dundee team ever won the League this day in 1962.

You've had a season to come up....

A diddy league that has given Kelty Hearts an opportunity if they win the play off to advance to the LL therefore skipping ahead of every junior club irrespective of where they filter into the pyramid. The Eos league is going to improve significantly next year and will continue to do so.

King Kebab always strikes me as the type of person who spends a fair whack of their wages phoning up Babestation.

Snatching 7th from the jaws of 3rd is some fucking effort. Nobody does late season bottle crashes like Morton do late season bottle crashes.

Yeah kelty well on top but next goal crucial. Amazing spectacle for Lower league, 1,000 plus crowd, fantastic ground. Our game would be in such great shape if we had more set ups like this.

This discussion shows exactly what annoys me about the attitude of some people/clubs. I love football. As some of you know, I moved to Scotland last summer and since then I haven't really had a particular favourite club here but just enjoy watching football and visiting different grounds. I watch football at all levels, from SPL to juniors or amateurs. I love it all, but I love lower levels/non-league most. I enjoy going to juniors, been at a game last Wednesday again. Ultimately, I think a proper pyramid is the best for all, so that the best non-league clubs play each other whilst lower clubs won't notice much difference and just keep playing football at their level. Some of the arguments against the pyramid are laughable. The vast majority of junior teams are of a level that they will never have to worry about getting into the SPFL or even LL. As said, they can just keep enjoying their football at their level. I heard a lot of similar arguments against a pyramid in England and The Netherlands. In neither country those fears were justified and in England it became accepted, whilst in The Netherlands (where the changes are more recent) people are warming to it. As long as a proper pyramid system is not in place, each club needs to do what they think is best for themselves. And the thing that really gets me is the vile attacks or crazy accusations thrown at clubs who simply want to do what's they think best for them. Just let them go on with their business and you just go on with yours. This rubbish about a “grade” that needs to be protected is simply not a valid argument. If clubs that are unhappy destroy the grade, maybe you’ll need to have a long and hard look at the grade and organisation rather than blaming the clubs who see their futures elsewhere. I respect their choices, wish these clubs well and they definitely don’t deserve to be shot down for it. It does work both ways though. If a club decides that applying for a license is not needed for them or they don’t feel the need to move up, that’s fair enough as well. I might not agree with their arguments, but they have every right to make that decision for themselves. As long as you don’t try to stop / criticise the ones who think differently, fair play and good luck to you. Some pro-pyramid people do need to see that as well, but the vast majority of them on here do see that thankfully.

Enjoy your night [emoji6]

You know that’s only half the story

Today was a frustrating day as mentioned above, particularly as it highlights the willingness for the local population to turn up only when there's something at stake. It's exceptionally frustrating to see clubs like Dunfermline, Falkirk and St Mirren go about their business and pull in crowds often three times our own, while we're left with a core of 1,600. The prices don't seem to be an issue for those clubs. Even then, the problem is that when we played our best football in a decade under McKinnon, folk still didn't show up. The crowds maybe peaked about 1,800 home fans or so. Leaving the game a lot of people were talking about how the team "shat it" and how it was the first game they've been to in years. As I mentioned on the match thread, the club need to really look at the playing style and realise our fans have seen more eye bleedingly bad long ball football than most teams. It's effective for grinding out results (see our home form as an example), but it's tedious to watch and it doesn't do anyone any favours.

In about ten years you might find out

Well done to Kelty Hearts on winning the East of Scotland league and singlehandly slapping junior fitba aboot the dish

I've got a season ticket and take my boy to almost all away matches too, so I say this as someone who is there week in week out ... Why should they come every week? The standard is poor, the prices aren't particularly good, and the community programme the club rolls out is token effort at best. We can't just expect people to come to the club. The club needs to be doing far more to attract and retain new fans. Not everyone is born into supporting the club. Some need enticed but I see little or no evidence that this happens. I'd love to see bigger crowds but I think the club need to look at how they make it appealing and affordable. I'll keep coming along (as will others) regardless of how shite the football is but accept that not everyone will and don't have any ill feelings towards people who pick and choose their games.

All our strikers were absolutely pathetic today so it seems a bit unfair to single one out but I'd do bad things to good people to never see Buchanan in a Rovers shirt again.

That sounds lovely and I'd like to help you make this happen. Just let me know when the POTY awards are and I'll have a word with someone at Somerset. There would be just 1 rule, don't touch the black white ribbons.

"Where's the cue ball going?" "Ronnie's just put it in a sock, by the looks of things."

I disagree. He should have said something along the lines of 'Why are you asking me this? What on earth has it to do with the Aberdeen v Hearts game you're here to cover?' It's about time journos were put in their place, politely or otherwise, when they start their nonsense. They'd soon stop.

I wouldn't be surprised if Taiwo goes to a bottom 6 premiership club/ league 1 in England. Been probably our most consistent player over 4 seasons and I think he's massively underrated by our support. Yes, he doesn't offer much going forward but that's not his role and there's very few better at what he's in the team to do IMO. While his passing isn't Iniesta-esque, it's also nowhere near as bad as some make out.

Good luck for the future to all the Junior teams in that list.

On this day in 1962 sitting listening to the game on radio downing a bottle of Robertson's cream soda or some other flavour.

Have you ever actually written anything of substance on this entire forum? Someone tried to engage you in some actual adult dialogue yesterday and as usual you replied with some juvenile inane one-lined pish. What is the point of you?

If promotion is the goal and that really means winning the league then we need a lot better in our starting 11 than longridge im afraid. Has the odd motm performance but otherwise its been more mediocrity like today. Squad player at best.

See, I think the Raith Rovers Community Foundation done some great things in the local community, unfortunately I don’t think there was a particularly joined up piece of thinking between it and the club. You’d have to be following it on Twitter or Facebook to see what it was up to, and the official club pages didn’t always make a song or dance about it, if they mentioned it at all. I’m not saying they don’t do more than us, they almost certainly do, but we’re less adept at promoting and celebrating what we do.

Same old Juve. The Alloa of Italy.

Cove 4-0 Spartans Bit of history will be made next weekend - when playoffs will occur right down the pyramid for Premiership, Championship, SPFL1, SPFL2 (looking like Cove v Cowdenbeath), and LL (Threave v Kelty).

It would be good if they did, but to be honest, considering what I’ve watched this season, I’m surprised we don’t attract less rather than more.

The 3000ish people who don't turn up all season but did today are what annoyed me most about the game. I get people have other things in their life's but surely even half of them could come support the team on a more regular basis?

Possibly. I just don't think this squad have the bottle for it. They chuck it far too easily. The attitude is all wrong. Feel free to pin that one up if you're reading Stevie.

Thanks for today lads. All the best in the play offs.

Was a magnificent occasion. Virtually impossible to park in kelty and there was well over 1000 at the match.

Just a little bit of tension creeping in there he says as Carter's cue breaks over Ronnie's face

Congratulations to kelty, thoroughly deserved champions. I would expect they will be in lowland league next year. Gutting for lthv who have given everything.

I wouldnt call him a falkirk legend but hes done a pile of work for the club over the last few years for very little recompense. If you ask me that deserves some sort of appreciation from the club and fans.

I’d be sad to see Tom Tiawo leave, a total gentleman and quality midfielder. Injuries have ruined his season. He’ll have no problems getting a club.

In terms of squad for next season, I think we've got the following signed up: ToB Ricky Little Blair Yule Mark Whatley Ryan McCord Gavin Swankie Danny Denholm Bobby Linn Ryan Wallace Kane Hester Michael McKenna While I'm very dubious about how we'd fair in the division above without half a dozen quality additions to that squad, I do really like having all of our best players signed up for next year already. Over the years, it's something that's always frustrated me seeing us at this time of year with 1/2 signed up for the following season and a lot of uncertainty where as we've got the bulk of them signed up this time which is great to see. This summer will be the quietest in terms of in's/ out's that has been since I started supporting the club, and that is no bad thing. Credit to the management for getting so much sorted out so early. It has been said for 5/6 weeks prior to Bobby Linn signing new deal that we have 12 of current squad signed up for next year, so there must be at least two more in current squad signed up but not announced/ signed 2 year deals last summer and not announced at the time for some reason. Weird how we announced Ricky Little and Bobby Linn within days of them signing, but haven't announced any of the others that Dick and Pink say have been signed up for weeks/ months now. On an unrelated note; I would like to wish Stranraer all the best in their trip up to Inverness today. Highly unfair that the SPFL have forced them to play a team in the division above in a league game and I was extremely surprised this was the case when Dick mentioned it post match a few weeks ago but if Dick says this is happening then who am I to doubt him?

Wow! If you’re genuinely a club official as others have suggested then I’m actually embarrassed for your club. Threatening fans from attending games at your ground on an Internet forum for calling you something as trivial as a “hater” is not the behaviour of a club official at any level.

I was only 4 year old then. Doesn't hurt as much when you watching the Moomins an hour later.

Would be interesting to know who is responsible for the “no Celtic tops” BS. We are supposed to be trying to encourage youngsters into the game, not into bigotry. What the f*ck is wrong with these people ? Some parts of Glasgow are a real embarrassment.

It's not just the Black Watch Museum that has an extensive collection of weapons.

The fact the managers "young" player goes to Vaughan tells you everything about Smith. Has a 1st team player ever won the youth award before? McKay was one of the best players all season.

When you think you've posted Monday to Wednesdays scores but haven't

Or Alex Rae?

'Aww I like seeing Caley do well though eh'

It’s what Saturdays are made for. None of this Harvey Nichols, Ikea, Union Square nonesense my wife was talking about!

U ok mate?